From Sampling to Response: Tackling Online Survey Biases

Conducting an online survey comes with its own set of challenges. As an author of an online survey, it is crucial to remain discerning when crafting concise and understandable questions while maintaining objectivity. In order to gather valuable insights, it is essential to be vigilant against biases that may surface throughout the survey process.

Let’s delve into the four types of biases commonly encountered in online surveys and explore effective methods to mitigate them.

Sampling Bias

Online surveys often face the challenge of limited availability to respondents who are actively engaged online, potentially resulting in an uneven representation of the target population. To combat sampling bias, it is vital to diversify the distribution of your survey across a range of online channels, such as social media, email, survey websites, messaging apps, and QR codes. Additionally, consider supplementing online distribution with offline approaches, such as phone calls or text message reminders.

Nonresponse Bias

When certain demographics are overrepresented or underrepresented in survey responses, a nonresponse bias may be present. Elevating the response rate by sending pre-notification emails, personalized invitations, and gentle reminders can mitigate nonresponse bias. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that response rate fluctuations may occur due to various factors, such as the survey topic and target population.

Response Bias

Respondents may exhibit biases while answering survey questions, including acquiescence bias, demand characteristics, extreme response, and desirability bias. Addressing these biases can be achieved through implementing self-administered surveys, using neutrally worded questions, avoiding leading questions, allowing anonymity, and removing brand or company identification from the survey.

Order Bias

The order of questions and answer options within a survey can impact respondents’ perceptions, leading to assimilation or contrast effects. To minimize order bias, consider reducing the number of scale questions, organizing survey items by topic, postponing demographic questions, crafting engaging questions, and randomizing the sequence of questions and answer choices. Test runs of the survey can also help fine-tune the question order.

It is essential to conduct thorough checks and utilize external resources to eliminate biases that could influence the outcome of your survey. Collaborating with a reputable sample provider, meticulously constructing the survey screener and questionnaire, and seeking out the expertise of external entities can contribute to the eradication of potential biases in your study.